Bandages and braces have been designed to keep a person's mouth closed during sleep and cause respiration to ensue exclusively through the nostrils during sleep. The nose and throat airways are the natural channels for respiration. A number of persons have developed the habit of using the mouth as an airway to the throat air passage which causes undue absorption of infectious airborne germs and particulates, dryness in the mouth, and snoring. An example of a head bandage to maintain a person's mouth closed is described by J. S. Baughman in U.S. Pat. No. 649,896.
A recent prior art appliance for preventing snoring and obstructive sleep apnea is disclosed by C. D. Anderson in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,365 The background of the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,365 contains a detailed description of the conditions that predicate the problem of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea and methods and devices that mitigate and control snoring and sleep apnea.